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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Firefighters today knocked down a stubborn rubbish and pallet fire burning under an off-ramp to the Santa Monica (10) Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, which triggered a temporary closure of the freeway in both directions due to a ``zero-visibilty'' environment.
The 83 firefighters dispatched at 7:32 a.m. to the westbound freeway, at Lawrence Street, had the blaze out at 8:51 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.
``The large amount of pallets stored under the freeway created a challenge in reaching the seat of the fire,'' the LAFD's Margaret Stewart said. ``Forklifts on scene were used to move the extinguished pallets so firefighters could continue to make their way in and fully extinguish the fire.''
Arson investigators were responding to the scene for a possible witness to the fire's cause, Stewart said.
No injuries were reported.
``The CHP (California Highway Patrol) will handle the re-opening of the freeway,'' she said.